1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for restraining an energy store, and to an energy store that may be used, for example, in vehicles.
2. Description of the Background Art
Powerful energy stores, such as lithium ion and NiHM batteries or “super caps,” are used in modern hybrid electric vehicles or electric vehicles (HEV/EV vehicles). Resistances within and outside the cells cause these energy stores to heat up during rapid charging and discharging. Temperatures above 50° C. permanently damage the energy stores. To ensure the operation of the energy stores, the latter must be actively cooled. For this purpose, the energy stores are brought into thermal contact with a plate through which refrigerant flows and are cooled thereby.
When cooling the cells, it is important for all cells to be cooled uniformly. If cell cooling is not uniform, the cells age at different rates, which has a negative impact on the operation and performance of the energy stores. The described energy stores are furthermore to be mechanically connected to the vehicle in order to ensure secure attachment and to avoid damage to the energy store. In doing so, the forces and accelerations to be applied as well as those which occur must be absorbed and corresponding geometric tolerances of the energy stores bridged.
Modern energy stores usually have simple housings that do not provide an apparatus for attaching them in vehicles. They are therefore usually provided with separate housings or apparatuses that do no meet tolerance compensation requirements when multiple energy stores are used simultaneously, or they are able to do so only by using a comparatively large amount of installation space and/or complex assembly.
DE 27 01 780 B1 describes a battery mount for a motor vehicle battery that is covered by a cover, comprising a mounting apparatus for accommodating the battery and a U-shaped mount spanning the battery which is formed from a horizontal clip which rests at least partially on the upper side of the battery and has vertical clamping parts that are detachably connected to the mounting apparatus.
The commonly used clamping and attachment systems usually require a great deal of installation space and/or assembly work. In addition, compensating any geometrical tolerances that occur is not possible in these systems, or it is possible only to a limited extent, due to the manufacture, assembly, operation, etc. of the energy stores.